In many applications, it is important to drive an element of a machine along a lead screw with accurate positional repeatability and constant drag torque in both forward and reverse directions. Data printers and x-y tables, used as peripheral equipment in the computer industry, for example, have such requirements.
Positioning devices designed to meet these requirements have been proposed, and many of these employ an anti-backlash nut to achieve the positional accuracy along the screw which is required. Examples of two such anti-backlash nut assemblies which have been proposed are described in the patent literature as follows.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,358, issued to Kopp, a linear positioning device is disclosed which is stated to have an improved collar for use with a comparatively inexpensive rod having multiple grooves. The collar is telescoped over and adapted to be translated back and forth relative to the elongated rod. This collar includes canti-levered fingers which are resiliently wedged into angularly spaced grooves formed in the rod to preload the collar onto the rod and prevent rotational play from developing between the two. In a specific embodiment, the collar is telescoped onto a rod in the form of a splined shaft while in another embodiment, the collar is a nut threaded onto a screw with multiple threads.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,269, issued to Linley, an anti-backlash, self-aligning nut construction with specially constructed tubular nut bodies which co-act with concentric spring sleeves is described. The nut bodies, in general, each have a pair of spring-biased elements provided with internal thread formations adapted for engagement with the external threads of a screw. In one embodiment, a self-aligning spring sleeve is provided having solely three pairs of oppositely-disposed transverse slots to obtain the desired aligning features. The nut body has a base portion which is separated from the spring-biased elements by means of two transverse slots which, together with an adjacent pair of slots in the spring sleeve, form in effect a universal joint. One of the remaining slot pairs in the sleeve is oriented circumferentially with respect to the first pair by an angle of 90.degree., with a third pair of slots being circumferentially aligned with the first pair.
More recently, an anti-backlash nut having oppositely-directly longitudinal flexure members has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,033, which issued to the present inventors. This anti-backlash nut has a continuous portion extending longitudinally from one end of the screw to the other. In addition, there are at least two, and usually more, oppositely-directed longitudinal flexure members which have one end fixed to the anti-backlash nut and one end free-floating. The oppositely-directed longitudinal flexure members are biased towards the screw by one or more radial springs or other means for biasing.
Yet another anti-backlash nut is disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,426, reissued as RE. 32,433, dated June 9, 1987.
This patent discloses an anti-backlash nut which has one or more longitudinal flexure members with one end of each member fixed and one end free floating in cantilever fashion. The nut, including the flexure members, undergoes translational movement along a threaded shaft or lead screw. Each longitudinal flexure member has a ramp at its free-floating end. The nut is surrounded by an annular pressure applying ring which derives its force from a compression spring. The ring is constantly urged against the ramps which, in turn, creates radial force vectors to maintain the internal threads formed on the flexure members in contact with the threads of the shaft during operation and even after the nut has become worn.
The threads on the shaft are in the form of a helix, as are the mating threads on the interior of the flexure members. When a load is placed on the nut, as for example, when it is attached to a carriage or printer, there is a substantial force component acting axially of the shaft or lead screw and bearing on the threads of the flexure members. The axial force translates into two force vectors, one in the axial direction of the shaft and the other normal thereto, tangential to the shaft. This induces the cantilever mounted longitudinal flexure members to deflect in a direction normal or tangential to the axis of the shaft. This can induce unwanted backlash.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an anti-backlash nut having longitudinal flexure members and means for providing structural rigidity to the members to counteract unwanted resultant tangential forces due to load on the nut.